I’m not sure that the NSA would find great interest in analyzing my life and conversations. However I do like the idea of being protected and of having control. And I love the idea that Plug can bring this control back to non-geek people.
– Severin Marcombes, CEO of Cloud Guys, maker of “Plug”
One of the most exciting trends to have emerged in 2013, is the explosion of extremely smart, privacy focused entrepreneurs creating products that will ultimately free us from the oppressive, centralized state humanity has been forced to live under for so long. Whether we are talking about the efforts of Kim Dotcom, DuckDuckGo, Xmission, or Cloud Guys, this trend is hear to stay and makes me extremely optimistic about the future.
Every single macro trend I see on the planet at the moment seems to be pushing us toward decentralization, such as Bitcoin and other crypto-currencies, 3D-printing, alternative media and crowd funding sources such as Kickstarter. The future looks very bright once we forever shed the shackles of centralized power and brute force. From the Huffington Post:
Support for a data-storage device that could potentially combat the government’s data-collection surveillance program known as PRISM has skyrocketed online. In just two days, the developers have received more than $200,000 in donations via Kickstarter.
As I mentioned, this number is now up to $365,000. The initial goal was $69,000, which was achieved in 12 hours.
Plug is a small USB adapter that can store and transfer all content without the need for the Cloud or third-party services. The device, which has been in development for two years, was created by the brains at Cloud Guys Corporation, a start-up company based in Colorado.
Go Colorado!
With Plug, all storage is private, and files are not uploaded to the Cloud, the group explains. No external company is involved, and nothing is sent to a server. Communication between devices is encrypted for added security, and website developers can use Plug for storage.
After posting the project to crowdfunding site Kickstarter, the group surpassed its $69,000 goal in just 12 hours. And within 24 hours, the group garnered 1,638 pre-orders and raised $118,000 in funding. By Friday afternoon, the collection bank topped $205,000.
Because of all the trends I mentioned above, I think there is a very good chance banks as we know them will not exist at all in 25 years, maybe much, much sooner. The banking system as we know it will go the way of the buggy whip. Good riddance.
As I tweeted earlier:
We don’t even need the current financial system to collapse. We just need to ignore it, create something else and let the old dissolve away.
Full article here.
In Liberty,
Mike
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Plugs seems like a scaled-down version of the Cloudlocker I just bought, which is a mini-server that puts full cloud functions in your house. It has awesome management controls and features I haven’t tried yet, like posting embedded links to videos and music files on Facebook instead of the files, so Mark Z doesn’t get to own the files, just the links. I like that. The whole story is at cloudlocker.it. OK, anyone, should I have gotten a Plug instead?
How will this help about the info on servers of Google, FB, etc ?
A good solution until the congressional ferrets, at NSA and cyber-security contractor instigation, ram through a law saying that this thing endangers national security.
They are located in France and have a Delaware Corporation front for their Kickstarter scam. Nothing to do with Colorado.
The entire thing is smoke-and-mirrors. Do a followup and do some investigated, don’t just take those bullshitters at their word.
Lima is currently the definition of vaporware.